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DONALD D. MACK'AY, or ..W1I 1TEST0NE, NEW YORK.V

VLetters .Patent No.` 81,803, elated Septembeitl, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN .FLOORING-CLAMP.

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TO ALL WHOM -IT MAY CONCERNV: 3de itk n'own-that' I,.DONAILD D. MACKAY, of Whitestone, in the county of Queens, and'State of'New'York, `have invented certain new and useful Improvements vin Flooring-Clamps; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact' description-oi the same, reference beingl Vhad to the accompanying drawings, making a portion' ot' this specification, in which- I I l Figure 1` is aside vie'wof an apparatus made according to my invention.

, Figure 2 is a back viewof the same.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the same, taken in the line :z: :u of figs. 1 and 2.' Similar'letters of reference indicate corresponding .parts in all the figures. I

The objectof this invention vis. to provide a means whereby flooring' may be 'snugly andiirmly'held in `position while being luid down.

The invention consists in combining a pusher-block with 'two levers pivot'ed together, and furnished at theiiplower ends with appropriate fulcrum-stemsor pins, in such mannerf that the boards o'rplanlrs from which theiiloor is formed may, as they are successively Vlaid down, have lthei'r edges brought 'elosely'togethem as required, preparatory tornailing andsecuring suchl boards in place.

' i The invention further consists in the combination, withfthe parts just mentioned, of a toggle-brace and relieving-lever, whereby the 'apparatus is enabled to firmly retain the iloringy in place during Vtheoperation of nailing or 'fastening the same, andto releaseits' hold thereon when fastened.

And, furthermore, the invention -consstsiin certain novel means, whereby the more eiiicient operation of the` principal features of the invention4 is insured. l 1 v To -cnableothers to understand the .construction and operation of my invention, I will proceed to describe I i Ait with reference to the drawings. v v A indicates two4 levers, curved as shown at a', so as to cross each:other,an d pivoted together by a suitable pivot, a.l I .I 1 i r I v Provided at the upper end ot one'of these levers is a loose ring', b, which, being slipped over the corresponding end ofthe other lever, se'nves to hold the two in close proximity when required, the purpose of whichwill.v hereinafter appear. i, l I v l Passing transversely through the lower end of each of thelcvers'is a screw-stem, e-,ithe inner extremity of which is enlarged and provided with any desired number of pointed spurs or teeth, c.

Formed transversely in the lower portionor arm of, each` lever, between the stems c, just deseribed, zi.nd the pivota, is a transverse slot, d; and `placed between such lower arms of the levers is a pusher-block, B, formedin two parts, the forward .one-being pivoted to v"the l,other by a vertical pivot at a*, so `that when the apparatus is in use, as hereinafter fully set forth, such forwardv portion may adjust itself readily to the edge of theboard orplank in bringing it into its place. The fcr'ward'edge, b,oi' the forward portion ot' -this pusherb loc'k is grooved longitudinally, so that the tongue formed on the edge of the hoard may net be injured in 'bringing the latter to its requisite position. v

.Y vProjecting fromeachside of the rearpart of the pusher-block is a'pin or pivot, e, which extends through the slot d of the adjacent arm 'of the lever, such pins e being ofhsuiiieient length t permit a considerable lateral movement of the arms just mentioned ofthe levers A, and furnished with nu'ts e', which prevent the arms from slipping o if therefrom.

l ',Situated, one at each side ofthe pusher-block B, are two springs, j', the freeextremities of which are curved or shaped' to formguides f', passing"around the outermost portions oi' the pins e, in such manner'and position as, under vordinary circumstances, to retain the same at about the centre of the slots d.

The back surface of the lower' arm of each lever IA is notched ttransversely in such a way that studs or shoulders, a, areformed thereon.

Attached to the rear end 'or portion of the presser-block'is a togglebrace, composed ofl the twobars g g*,

which, when placed in line with each other, and against lthe studs or shoulders a of the levers, serve to hold the same in position when the apparatus is in use, as hereinafter presently set forth.

Also, pivoted upon the pusher-block, but near the centre thereof, is a. lever, m, the, inner or rear end of whichis situated below the central joint of the toggle-brace g 9*, in such manner that` by pressing downward the forward endlthereof, the lever vm will be caused to force upward the central part of the toggle-brace g 9*, as required in releasing the apparatus from the flooring, as presently herein further set forth.

In order tousc the apparatus in laying the iloor shown in red outline at A* in'the drawings upon the sleepers, indicated' also in red color at B*, the two levers are spread apart to permit the lower ends thereof to be placed astride of one of the sleepers at any suitable point along the length ofthe plank or board which it is desired to tighten vto its place, and the stems c, being placed at a suitable distance from the edge of such board `or plank, with the edge of the pusher-block against the edge of each board or plank,`the upper arms of the levers A are brought together and held in this position by means of the ring b, as hereinbefere explained, the pointed studs c', on th'estems e, vbiting into the sleeper, so that the stems, being prevented from slipping, may serve as the fulcrum of the levcrsin t-he operation/of the apparatus, as presently explained. I

The levers are then pushed forward, thus forcing the board or plank snugly against the one behind it, whereupon the free end of the toggle-brace gg* is placed under one of the studs or shoulders a on the lever, and the centre of the bracefis then depressed to bring the brace into a straight condition, which, by forcing forward the leverspstill further tightens the board or plank, and also serves to retain-it in such tightened coudition while being nailed or otherwise secured, which being done, the forward end of the lever m is depressed more conveniently hyplacing thev foot thereon, which, by elevating the rear end of such lever, throwsupward the centre ofthe toggle-hrace, and thus releases the leversA therefrom.

The ring b is then thrown from the` end of one of the levers, so that the latter may he spread apart and the apparatus moved as'required in laying downand securing in place the succeeding board or plank.

As the springs f allow the pins or Apivots of the pusher-block B to move within the slots cZ, it follows that any strain which would otherwise be exerted upon.l the'pi-vots by the movingfof the levers A upon 'an are is whollyobviated, and, inasmuch as the stem c may b'e screwed in or out to increaseor diminish the space between them whenithe levers are brought together, the apparatus may be readily adjusted for application to sleepers of any ordinary width. 'Further-more, when desired, instead of making 'the two levers A of metal throughout their length, their upper portions may be of wood, 'ttedint'o'suitable sockets provided on the lower portions thereof.A i

What I claim as my invention, and desireito secure by Letters Patent,visy 1. The levers A, pivoted together as at a, and furnished at their lower ends with adjustable fulcrum-stems c, having spurs e', substantially as shown and, described, for the purpose specied,

I2. The combination of the tripping-lever m with the pusher-block B, the toggle-brace g q*, andthe levers A, substantially a's and for the purpose specified. l'

3. The arrangement of the pivots e of the pusher-block, the slots; cl in the levers A, andthe springsf, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

4. The arrangementof the ring b,lat the upper ends ofthe levers A, carrying the pusher-block B and toggle-brace g g*, substantially as and for the purpose specified. i

D. D. MACKAY.

Witnesses Harrer T. BROWN, J. W. Coonus. 

